


Spying Spot

by di93



Series: Inquisitorial Enigma [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-In Your Heart Shall Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-29
Updated: 2016-05-29
Packaged: 2018-07-10 21:08:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7006927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/di93/pseuds/di93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone has their own favorite spot in Skyhold. Kaaras is convinced that his is the best of all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spying Spot

Kaaras sat silently on top of a few crates in Skyhold’s rookery, switching between staring blankly at the report in his hand and spying down to the library. Upon his first exploration of Skyhold nearly a week ago, he claimed that spot as his own, and as each day passed, he became more content with his decision.

First of all, it was convenient for hearing reports. Since every piece of information the Nightingale knew passed through the rookery, Kaaras was able to stay almost as well-informed as his spymaster. He didn’t have to wait for Leliana to read him her reports usually, which significantly decreased the amount of time it took him to do his job at the war table.

Secondly, despite the number of runners and the constant caws of Leliana’s crows, it was calm and relatively quiet there since, aside from himself, no one ever went up there unless they had business. As such, it was the only place, possibly in all of Southern Thedas, that Kaaras could sit completely unnoticed while still being around the sound of life.

Finally, the newest addition to his list of reasons why his spot was most likely the best in all of Skyhold, was that it gave him a perfect view into the library. Specifically, it gave him the perfect view of a certain Tevinter mage who had seemingly laid claim to one nook in the library a few days ago.

Every time Kaaras started to become frustrated with his progress of reading through reports, he could look down and see the man sitting there, still reading away at whatever book he’d taken to study that day. It motivated Kaaras to keep trying, to keep going, because however frustrating it was, there were still people following him and counting on him, and he couldn’t let them down.

This day, however, he found Dorian less motivating and more distracting. The man was pacing back and forth, apparently reading and rereading a letter that had been delivered to him hours earlier with an expression that just became increasingly pained each time his eyes ran over the parchment. Everyone else in the library either didn’t notice Dorian’s apparent distress, or didn’t care, and while Kaaras was the person decidedly least qualified to attempt to offer comfort, he couldn’t stand leaving Dorian to himself as long as he wore that expression. So he stood and placed the reports on Leliana’s desk before heading down the stairs to see if he could help somehow.

“Anything interesting?” he asked cautiously, and Dorian finally stopped pacing and turned to him.

“A letter regarding Felix, Alexius’s son. He went to the Magisterium, stood on the Senate floor and told them of you. A glowing testimonial, I’m informed. No news on the reaction, but everyone back home is talking,” Dorian said, seemingly as upbeat as ever, but Kaaras could hear how forced it was, and it only became more evident when Dorian glanced away as he continued. “Felix always was as good as his word.”

“Was?” Kaaras asked, and then Dorian’s expression became less forced and more somber.

“He’s dead. The Blight caught up with him.”

“Are you alright?”

“He was ill, and thus on borrowed time anyhow,” Dorian replied, and Kaaras felt his stomach sink a little, hearing Dorian try to brush it off.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t regret his death.”

“I know. Felix used to sneak me treats from the kitchens when I was working late in his father’s study,” Dorian started, and Kaaras nodded, glad to hear more about Dorian and the man who had helped them stop Gereon. “‘Don’t get into trouble on my behalf,’ I’d tell him. ‘I like trouble,’ he’d say. Tevinter could use more mages like him, those who put the good of others above themselves.”

“You make it sound like he was a better person than you,” Kaaras prompted once Dorian seemed to have finished. Something tugged inside of Kaaras, being allowed to see through the little crack in Dorian’s façade. Normally the man was all bravado and ego, unabashedly and unapologetically confident in himself. Seeing Dorian like this, though, it was somehow both comforting and worrying, watching the most confident and charming person he’d ever met be critical of himself.

“What a mad thing to say! Few people are better than I,” Dorian scoffed, and Kaaras raised an eyebrow at the sudden burst of forced bravado. “Very well, a better person, clearly, not nearly as handsome,” he said, and Kaaras smiled just a little. Dorian would be alright, with time.

Dorian started to walk away, and Kaaras was about to turn to head out of the library to Josephine’s office since he needed to get back to work but couldn’t really go back up to his favorite spot, but then Dorian turned back towards him again.

“Thankfully Felix wasn’t the only decent sort kicking around Thedas,” he said with a small smile, and Kaaras just stood there silently in his surprise, feeling the back of his neck heat up once again. Later, he would wonder if he would ever be able to make it through a conversation with Dorian without blushing. He suspected not.

After internally shaking himself, Kaaras headed out to the main hall and into Josephine’s office, hoping to be able to get some more work done. However, his mind kept wandering back to Dorian, wondering if there was anything he could do for the man, until finally an idea came to him.

“Josephine, do you know much about sweets?” he asked, once they had finished discussing everything on the docket for the day.

“I know some, I suppose,” she replied uncertainly. It was the first time she had ever asked him something _conversational_ , so she was a little thrown.

“Would you know what sweets are common in different countries?”

“Ah, yes, Inquisitor. In Ferelden, puddings are common. Orlesians tend to love small cakes, though they are often enjoyed less for their taste and more treated as an experience,” she replied, and Kaaras took the meaning well enough: they would be terrible, but he would still be expected to eat them. Still, he wasn’t asking to find out about what would be on the menu at the Winter Palace.

“What about in Tevinter?”

“Tevinter? Well, they tend to like desserts that use exotic fruits, like apricots or pears. I haven’t had many, but a Tevinter acquaintance once hosted a dinner party while I was in Antiva and we had something called ‘ _dulcia domestica_ ’ which was a sort of fruit and nut dessert,” she replied, still confused, but far too polite to ask about the Inquisitor’s reasons.

“Thank you, Josephine,” he said with a small smile, and was about to leave, but paused for a moment and turned back to her. “Do you have a favorite dessert?” he asked, and this time the confusion and surprise was plain to see on her face.

“I am quite fond of Tevinter candied chocolates, in truth. They are less common, but of impeccable quality,” she replied, and he smiled again and nodded.

“Enjoy your evening, Ambassador,” he said, finally leaving and heading straight down to the kitchens from Josephine’s office.

oOo

“Good morning, Inquisitor,” Leliana called as she arrived in the rookery the following morning, and Kaaras jumped at the sound of her voice. He was so tired that he didn’t even notice her coming up the stairs despite having a perfect view of her entrance. Still, he shook off his sleep and nodded in greeting. “You look fatigued. Did you not sleep well last night?” she asked with a voice that sounded sincere, but she was wearing a small, knowing smirk that made him as uncomfortable as ever. Yet again, he felt the back of his neck heating up.

“It’s nothing,” he replied, and she nodded even as her smile grew.

“Of course. Here are your reports for the day. Our agents and the last of the rebel mages arrived early this morning. Captain Rylen just wrote that a lot of them arrived. Until you are ready to move on the Western Approach, he will remain here and assist with reconstruction and training. Also, by your leave, Inquisitor, I have agents prepared to crack the Hard in Hightown cipher.”

“Do it,” he ordered. He didn’t like that so soon after arriving at Skyhold, they already had a security threat. Everyone already had more than enough to deal with, and someone sneaking in and out of their defenses without notice didn’t help matters. They had only just made it out of Haven alive, and if they were going to be able to deal with Corypheus, he had to ensure that their new base would be safe.

Leliana went to her desk and wrote out orders for her agents, and Kaaras settled back down in his spot, trying to work through the rest of the reports from the day before, but then Leliana called out to him again.

“Also, Josephine shared with me some Tevinter-style chocolates and dates that she found on her desk this morning. They were so good, that I almost wonder if they were poisoned,” she said, and Kaaras immediately flushed up to his ears, and she smirked just a little and turned back to her work. He cleared his throat and nodded before looking back down at his papers, but movement in the library caught his attention.

Dorian did a double-take as he went to sit down in his usual chair, a plate covered with chocolates and _dulcia domestica_ sat atop his notes from the day before. The mage reached out and grabbed a date, sniffing it before taking a small bite, then another. Kaaras turned back to his work, allowing himself a small, private smile that ended up being not-so-private as Dorian glanced up his way.

Dorian’s favorite spot in Skyhold had multiple benefits as well.


End file.
